Multiple HP customers from around the world are reporting that HP has started deploying a "spyware" onto their laptops—without informing them or asking their permission.

The application being branded as spyware is actually a Windows Telemetry service deployed by HP, called "HP Touchpoint Analytics Client," which was first identified on November 15.

According to reports on several online forums, the telemetry software—which the HP customers said they never opted to have installed and had no idea was continually running in the background—was pushed out in a recent update.

However, it's not yet clear whether the software has come with the latest Microsoft's Windows updates, or via HP's support assistant processes.

An official description of the software says that the program "harvests telemetry information that is used by HP Touchpoint's analytical services."

HP Touchpoint Makes Your Computer Slow

HP customers also complained that the installation slowed down their system significantly.

On HP's customer forum, one user even reported that due to more than 95 percent CPU usage by the analytics service, his system anti-malware software started checking for suspicious activity.

"So today all of a sudden, I'm experiencing a considerable slowdown in my laptop (Pavilion P3V59PA). Once I look for the problem in Task Manager, I found out that the program called HP Touchpoint Analytics Client (and it's subsequent follow up) constantly jumping the memory usage (~300Mb at a minimum, ~nearly 2Mb at maximum)."

"I don't remember ever installing this program whatsoever, and in control panel, I found that for some reason this program was silently installed today, without my consent."

"I noticed that HP secretly installed the program 'HP Touchpoint Analytics Client' on all my HP devices on November 20, 2017. The program connects every day to HP. The files sent can be found under 'Program Data/HP/HP Touchpoint Analytics Client/Transfer Interface.'"

The program seems to send data to the company's server once per day. If you own an HP PC or laptop, you can find this data under ProgramData\HP\HP Touchpoint Analytics Client\Transfer Interface on the Windows drive.

While responding to the allegations, HP said that the company has been shipping the same software on HP laptops since 2014 as part of its Support Assistant software and that it only collects anonymous information about the computer's hardware performance.

However, the only thing that the company has changed is the name.

"HP Touchpoint Analytics is a service we have offered since 2014 as part of HP Support Assistant. It anonymously collects diagnostic information about hardware performance. No data is shared with HP unless access is expressly granted. Customers can opt-out or uninstall the service at any time," HP said in a statement.

"HP Touchpoint Analytics was recently updated, and there were no changes to privacy settings as part of this update. We take customer privacy very seriously and act in accordance with a strict policy, available here."

Here’s How to Remove HP Touchpoint Analytics Client

If you don't want this application to send data from your computer to HP's servers, you can disable the service or uninstall the program completely, which is relatively quickly and easily.

To uninstall this service, go to Control Panel and right-click on the program name, and select Uninstall to remove it.

Alternatively, you can just press Windows+R, type "appwiz.cpl," and press Enter to load the Programs and Features control panel applet. Now, select "HP Touchpoint Analytics Client" from the list and click the "Uninstall/Change" to remove the service from your PC.

A few months ago, HP was caught using a built-in keylogger that silently spied on your all keystrokes, and stored every single key-press in a human-readable file located at the public folder, making it accessible to any user or 3rd party app installed on the PC.

Recently, Lenovo has also settled a massive $3.5 million fine from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for preinstalling spyware onto laptops without users' consent.

U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) is infamous for conducting Global Mass Surveillance to snoop secretly on users' online communications, phone calls, private instant messages, and personal emails, but there is something shocking about it.

The Security Agency also asked its employees to watch Porn -- Yes! Porn and a lot of Porn.

The Analysts and Terrorism experts employed by U.S. Intelligence Agencies including the NSA and the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) are tasked to watch graphic videos all day long.

According to the recent report by Daily Beast, the Graphic video contents containing ISIS prisoner beheading, attacks on U.S. military forces, and sometimes sexual abuse of children are gathered from the computers and smartphones of captured or killed terrorists, and from websites frequented visited by jihadists.

WHY NSA IS WATCHING PORN?

Islamic State (Isis) and Al-Qaeda terrorists are using Reddit, eBay and pornography to send coded messages to their followers.

Israeli Intelligence Agency noticed that Terrorists are using steganography technique to hide secret messages or content within an image or video file in order to keep their plans hidden from law enforcement and Intelligence agencies.

However, the cyber security experts and data forensic teams sitting at NSA and CIA examine these graphical images and porn videos in an effort to gain clues that could help them track down the perpetrators, rescue hostages, or stop terrorist attacks on countries.

"It’s mostly porn," a former intelligence officer, who worked on counterterrorism operations, told The Daily Beast. "In another context, a dedicated 'porn room' might be the greatest office park imaginable. But watching hours of the stuff becomes monotonous."

Checking every image and watching every second of the graphic video for a whole day long actually becomes difficult for some analysts, as the work can take an "extraordinary toll" on their emotional state of mind. And to cope up with this issue, the Intelligence agencies have employed specialist psychologists and therapists.

Also last year, an operation dubbed "Optic Nerve" showed the ugly face of the Intelligence agencies that allegedly captured and stored nude images and other sensitive data from webcam chats of nearly 1.8 Millions of unsuspecting Yahoo users, which was the great assault on users’ privacy.

At the agencies, watching porn videos and other graphical material to figure out the content behind it is a part of job for the analysts.

Obviously, the graphical content may or may not contain the clues about terrorists, but they have to watch all of them, and this is what they are getting paid for.

No doubt, the analysts sometimes feel oppressed and become angry, but the agency claims that it "deeply values the health and wellness of our [NSA & CIA] employees and provides a range of comprehensive services to address their needs."

"The NSA has long offered psychological consultation and intervention services to support our employees' important work against today's increasingly complex global threats," NSA spokesperson Vanee Vines said in a statement.

TERRORISTS STARTED ADOPTING STRONG ENCRYPTION

However, keeping in mind the out datedness of Steganography technology, I do not think that terrorists are still using the technology to communicate, when they have so many end-to-end encrypted messaging apps readily available out there.

So, it is hard to believe that after the revelation of NSA’s mass surveillance programs by the agency’s cyber security specialist Snowden, terrorists communicate via an outdated technology.

JOHN OLIVER INTERVIEW WITH SNOWDEN:- ABOUT "DICK-PIC"

On Sunday's edition of Last Week Tonight, John Oliver interviewed NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden in Moscow.

The conversation went half serious, half humorous when Snowden was asked, "Can the government secretly access Americans' naked selfies?"

Snowden said, Yes!

Oliver showed Snowden that when the New Yorkers were asked about Snowden and his work, they barely had an answer, which means most of the people in U.S. are actually not aware of NSA’s surveillance program.

But, when the interviewer asked the New Yorkers about the government spying on their "Dick Pics," they were far more concerned. However, Snowden says, "The good news is there's no program named the Dick-Pic Program."

Smartphones in our pockets are exponentially smaller and more powerful that they don't realize the need to carry laptops with us everywhere. Now imagine if a small mouse meets the need of the entire PC? Not just imagination, it has been proved and done by the engineers at a Polish startup.

Poland-based Przemysław Strzelczyk and a team of software developers working on a new concept have created what they believe is the future of desktop computing — a mouse that's also a PC.

Called "Mouse-Box", a wireless gadget that packs a 1.4 GHz quad-core ARM processor, a micro-HDMI port, WiFi up to 802.11n, accelerometer, gyroscope, two USB 3.0 ports and 128 GB storage space into a mouse. The only extra hardware needed is a monitor.

Mouse Box comes with the same amount of storage as a high-end iPhone 6 Plus, but we know that nobody will be able to work for long with so little storage. The storage capacity can’t be physically expanded, but can be extended with the use of cloud storage service.

"At the beginning, moving computers was a real challenge," explained the Polish startup. "Computer portability has been improving along with developing a PC. However, it still isn't ideal as it is necessary to transport a lot of its parts - a monitor, a keyboard, a CPU and a mouse."

"We are introducing Mouse-Box, a computer different than ever before - an incredible combination of the two most important elements in a computer set."

Mouse-Box comes with built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, and charges wirelessly using an inductive charging mat that doubles up as a mouse pad. This means the device would never run out of battery. However, the hardware also includes space for an optional battery.

The HDMI port is the key part of the device that will help users connect the Mouse-Box to a nearby monitor. The device could theoretically be loaded up with any operating system of your choice. At home, the Mouse Box will behave just like any other mouse, and outside, you just need to hook-up to a monitor.

"We've changed the thinking about personal computers. From now nothing will be the same," said Przemyslaw Strzelczyk. "The Mouse-Box is a revolutionary device; it connects the most important things in the IT industry. You will always have the PC in your hand, even at work. The only problem you will have to cope with it is what hand you are going to use."

The Mouse-Box is currently at working prototype stage. The team of software developers of the prototype are now seeking commercial partners to help them bring it to market. You can also have a look to it via a video, the Mouse-Box is shown as an alternative to the work PC, or to replace a PC at home.